My wife uses an 8810 remote. I haven't changed the programming in it for several years, consequently she can't control our newish BluRay player, but that doesn't seem to bother her, she just makes me run the BluRay player for her. Now, though, we've had to buy a new TV, and the 8810 is not going to cut it anymore without some work. Unfortunately, it's obsolete, so upgrading it, I think, is going to be painful. I thought I'd check with the group here before I decide what to do.

As far as I can tell, I have four options:

Option 1: Dig out my old XP computer and use the old version of RMIR running on it, together with the parallel port interface I still have, to upgrade the 8810. This will be a pain. The old computer is still around, I haven't fired it up in years, and I'm not sure it's going to work well, if at all. It could take me a couple days to get it running. In addition, I don't know if I'll have to upgrade the version of RMIR running on it and whether newer versions of RMIR still run under XP.

Option 2: Buy a USB EEPROM interface cable from Tommy Tyler's store (or somewhere else?) and use it with my Windows 7 computer with a modern version of RMIR. These interfaces have gotten expensive and as the old remotes become increasingly scarce, I'm not sure spending more than $50 on this interface is worth the money.

Option 3: Move my wife to a new remote. This will be painful for her. I'm currently using an RCA RCRP05B and I have a spare, so it would be trivial to use the same upgrades I have already installed on it on the spare and give it to my wife. (I have the proper cable to communicate with this remote.) I put some "fancy" programming on it, though, including LKPs on the device keys and a long pauses on a couple macros, that will confuse her. She refuses, for example, to understand that pressing and holding a key is different from pressing and releasing it right away, so I've stayed away from LKPs on her remote. She also tends to press a remote button and toss the remote on the couch, which doesn't help a long-running macro, either.

Option 4: Move her to the RCA RCRP05B and simplify the programming, removing the LKPs and pauses in macros, and make it behave as much as possible like her 8810. For this option to work, I'd need to label the remotes so neither of us grabs the wrong one.

I think I know the correct answer, but I thought it might be helpful or entertaining to seek the guidance of the folks here. This has to be a fairly common problem.

....Option 4: Move her to the RCA RCRP05B and simplify the programming, removing the LKPs and pauses in macros, and make it behave as much as possible like her 8810. For this option to work, I'd need to label the remotes so neither of us grabs the wrong one....

Not sure what 8810 is, but maybe She would be happier with a smart new remote!

Option 5: Get OARUSB04G/URC6440 and use the extender for whichever version: There is a backlight and fewer buttons but they are very comfortable and well spaced.
Also the extender is nice to use for all the buttons to perform any function or functions, with delays where needed for each one most easily be tailored to Her needs.
A USB cable is included which serves to connect to RMIR.

The URC-8810 is Walmart's version of the URC-8811, apart from a slight difference in the color, they are identical.

Personally, I'd say, if you have an old computer that still has a parallel port and you have the cable, you might as well try re-programming the 8810 for her, as this is a) the zero cost option and b) it's what she is used to using.

But if that option doesn't pan out, and you have spare more modern remotes, and the appropriate JP1 cable to program them, you could go that route.

If a brand new remote is in order, you could get a flashy Nevo C2 as they're just $15 on ebay these days._________________Rob
www.hifi-remote.comPlease don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

I do have a couple of OARUSB04Gs waiting to be used, but it would take awhile for me to learn the extender, etc. -- longer than my wife would like to wait right now. I think I'll convert both for ours to the OARUSB04Gs as soon as I get over the short term hump.

I would still suggest that you see if you can re-program the URC-8910 as it's the remote that she's used to. While it might be a bit of effort to fire up the old PC, it should just be a one-time effort, unless you're planning to replace the TV, etc again anytime soon._________________Rob
www.hifi-remote.comPlease don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

I'm going to take your advice and try to fire up the old PC to upgrade the 8910. I'll report back here when I have results.

Before I do that, I'm going to make sure I have a serviceable upgrade for my RCRP05B (the subject of an ongoing thread you've been helping me with). When that's done, I'll use that upgrade in the 8910.

(Incidentally, my initial inclination was to configure the RCR as much as possible like the 8910 and give that to my wife, but my she was very leery of that. You've obviously gone through this before <laughing>!)

I haven't been through it myself because I've never changed the household remote, we're still using a 1999 vintage Radio Shack 15-1994 remote. But I have a JP1-USB cable that works with my Windows 7 laptop. It doesn't work with RMIR, so I have to use IR.exe to program it. But how often do you need to re-program your main remote? I had mine set for ages, it wasn't until we bought a new flatscreen TV and switch cable service about a year ago that I had to re-program it. Now it's all set again._________________Rob
www.hifi-remote.comPlease don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

I went through this a few months ago. I actually did outgrow a real 8810. I went for the new NEVO which has huge capacity. I really thought the Nevo was going to be the answer so I stocked up on them. After testing and testing, I brought it into for my husband to use, but he doesn't like the change. He's gone to getting up and turning the unit on/off by the controls on the device itself to avoid using the Nevo.

The WAF (Wife Acceptability Factor) or the HAF in my case is crucial. Happy wife, happy life.

Most of us have no where near as much trouble with WAF as Vicky has with HAF, he's a unique character when it comes to technology! _________________Rob
www.hifi-remote.comPlease don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

Vicky, does your husband tend to throw remotes when he gets frustrated? That's what my wife tends to do. Moreover, my wife wouldn't know how to turn things on or off by getting up, either!

Last night, I discovered I have everything I need to fire up that old XP computer except a power cord. I've ordered one of those on eBay and I'll resume this activity when I get the cord, probably sometime next week. In the meantime, I will be functioning as my wife's remote!

Vicky, does your husband tend to throw remotes when he gets frustrated? That's what my wife tends to do. Moreover, my wife wouldn't know how to turn things on or off by getting up, either!

Last night, I discovered I have everything I need to fire up that old XP computer except a power cord. I've ordered one of those on eBay and I'll resume this activity when I get the cord, probably sometime next week. In the meantime, I will be functioning as my wife's remote!

Mine is easily frustrated, and does not like change!! He used to kill OEM remotes, but that was the sports fan type of thing, if the remote doesn't work he just calls me. So that does mean the remote must be simple to use.

My family has banned me from talking about remotes in social situations but that doesn't mean I don't hear an earful when I hang in the kitchen with the ladies at social gatherings. We have a few acquaintances with fancy gear, and the wives all complain that they can't even watch TV by themselves, because the new system is so complicated. So I am very, very mindful that the basic operations need to be easy and intuitive to operate. But mine will do an LKP. Mute is Mute, but a long press of Mute turns on/off closed captioning. Long press of the device buttons does the device selection, but there are no long running macros. If there needs to be a pause, better to have them press the button again if it didn't work the first time.

Phil, one of the forum regulars, gave me a great template for writing up documentation, where I have a diagram of the remote with call out boxes, on what buttons you need to press to get something done, but he won't look at that either. That was a really good exercise for me because I found some inconsistencies in how I was doing things, but its also frustrating to put that much effort into something that doesn't get looked at.

Thanks for the plug, Vicky. I find, as you did, that the effort to write clear documentation pays of in helping me identify usability issues. If it's difficult to document, it's difficult to use. The primary user I do this for is my sister-in-law in Florida. It's a defense mechanism on my part to avoid phone calls. If the remote is done right, then the documentation becomes unnecessary right away. When I do get the inevitable phone call I usually look it up on my copy and then say "On, page ? of my document, see the box that says: "...." and then answer the question.

My biggest problem with remote support like this is when she has a Comcast problem, calls the service guy, he comes out and says, "This wiring isn't right - I'll fix it." Every year, I need to put the wiring back so it works and usually reprogram the remote. That part is really frustrating.

My biggest problem with remote support like this is when she has a Comcast problem, calls the service guy, he comes out and says, "This wiring isn't right - I'll fix it." Every year, I need to put the wiring back so it works and usually reprogram the remote. That part is really frustrating.

What wiring change do they make?_________________Rob
www.hifi-remote.comPlease don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

They usually reroute the cable box HDMI to go directly from their box to HDMI1 on the TV, bypassing the HDMI switcher I have installed to give me discrete input selection. In one case, the TV does not have discrete input selection or a viable workaround. I always program "activities", so when the user presses CBL on the remote it means "I want to watch cable now" and my programming selects inputs for the TV, soundbar, etc. as required. The wiring change breaks it all.

Mid-life choice. Option 1 ("dig out" the old computer etc.) or Option 6 - trade in the wife for a younger, blonder model.*

Actually, there is another option - get a modern remote and program it and leave it near to the old 8810, or at least in the same room. Most people would give the new remote a chance if the old one didn't do what they wanted to do.